Legal challenges on critical care and food

Good news of two legal challenges being prepared, to tackle:

• the refusal of critical care medical treatment to disabled people
• the struggle to get basic food supplied by supermarkets

Access to critical care NHS treatment

The NHS COVID-19 “decision support tool“, a chart used to refuse critical care to older and disabled people, has alarmed people, some who didn’t already know that treatment is rationed and withheld.  Relatives of older people in care homes are shocked to realise that if their loved one is taken ill, an ambulance would not be called to take them to hospital.  As they score very high on the Clinical Frailty Scale, they would be left in place to die.

We hope that this legal challenge will highlight the genocidal policy towards disabled people, older people in care homes and the lack of government concern and PPE supply for low-waged social care staff.  According to the Disability News Service, around 45,000 disabled people under pension age live in care homes.

Read Doug Paulley’s blog post about the legal challenge here

The deadline for a reply to the solicitor’s letter before action is tomorrow Thursday 16 April.  If no satisfactory reply is received, after that there would be a judicial review in the High Court.

Food supply by supermarkets

There is another legal challenge starting up against supermarkets not prioritising disabled customers, family carers and families with disabled children who are not on the “Clinically Extremely Vulnerable” list.  This list will only help an estimated 10% of the UK’s 13.9 million disabled people, most of whom are women.  If you are interested in taking part in the legal case, more information from Disabled People Against Cuts here.  Legal aid is available.

Resources

Read more from DPAC on how to register on the “Clinically Extremely Vulnerable” list for shopping help, and to request PPE here